


Never better

by thepessimisticasshole



Category: Carry On - Rainbow Rowell
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, M/M, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmates AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-23
Updated: 2016-03-23
Packaged: 2018-05-28 16:18:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6335866
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thepessimisticasshole/pseuds/thepessimisticasshole
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>His tattoo says “the fuck kind of name is that” in big, scribbled, barely legible handwriting- which, reasonable. He has his parents and weird family tradition to blame.</p><p>---</p><p>Baz has never approved of the soulmates tradition- but then he's never met his soulmate.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Never better

* * *

His tattoo says “the fuck kind of name is that” in big, scribbled, barely legible handwriting- which, reasonable. He has his parents and weird family tradition to blame. His father disapproves- his own is neat cursive, tiny on the inside of his wrist. “My pleasure”, because of course. Baz’s takes up most of his right calf, which means shorts are out for much of the conceivable future.

He hates soulmarks, with everything in him. (Maybe he’s biased. Dev’s is perfectly lovely- “charmed”, neatly printed across his hipbone. [Niall’s is “Oi, watch where you’re going, fucker”, so he’s extra careful to knock into every person he meets. Just in case.]) They’re outdated, unfair- Agatha Wellbelove doesn’t even have one, which he knows for a fact she still sometimes cries about. And there’s a little line through his father’s that makes his chest pang every time he sees it.

There’s too many people with just “hi” and “hey” and “can you move, I’m trying to watch the show” and they’re vague and some people never find their soulmates and one time, Baz watched a soulmark disappear in the middle of the class. The girl had to be carried out, kicking and screaming, and she didn’t come back for a whole term. They’re painful and they hurt and they cause so much worry and conflict and-

“What the fuck kind of name is that?”

He looks up sharply at the cute barista, staring at him with the same stunned expression.

“Pardon me?”

The barista sets down his cup, yanks up his sleeve.

“Your coffee order is fucking weird and so is your name but oh my god, we’re soulmates right? Please tell me I’m right. I’ve never met anyone with such a weird order and I’ve made it before and it’s like drinking a candy bar and- I’m Simon Snow and please tell me we’re soulmates?”

Baz’s mouth is gaping open. “Holy shit, you’re-” That’s too much of a coincidence and he talks too much but. Holy shit. “Yes,” he manages, and Simon beams.

“That’s great. That’s fantastic. You might want to move, by the way, the queue’s glaring.”

Baz floats in a semi daze over to the window and waits; soon enough, Simon comes bounding over with coffee and a scone.

“Compliments of the chef,” he says, obvious meaning himself, and shoves both into Baz’s hands. “So. Soulmates.”

“Soulmates,” Baz agrees faintly, then has to sit down.

“Where is your mark?” asks Simon excitedly. “Unless- is it anywhere naughty?” His eyes twinkle with entirely too much mischievous mirth for Baz’s liking, and he shoots him a glare before pushing up his pants leg.

Simon sucks in a breath. “Yeah, sorry, my hand writing is shit. So your name really is Basilton?”

“It really is,” says Baz. “And my coffee is fine, thank you.”

Simon peers at him. “Are you okay?”

“No,” Baz wants to say, “Actually I was just thinking about how ridiculous this entire thing is-”

He doesn’t say that.

Because Simon makes him feel warm, and shaky, and, okay, maybe he gets the hype. Maybe. (Even though he’s being a hypocrite. Even though he’s going to have to deal with his father’s disappointed looks and the sideways glances from his friends.)

“Never better,” he says, and smiles.


End file.
